Wednesday, 19 February 2014

The Korean People's Air Force (KPAF) is often regarded as being no match
to more advanced nations due to their outdated and usually obsolete
equipment. This post discusses one of the exceptions to this belief:
North Korea's MiG-29s.

The 55th Kumsong Guard Air Regiment operates fifteen MiG-29s based out of Sunch'ŏn, near Pyongyang. The MiG-29s, like most of the KPAF
planes, operate on a rotation basis. Out of these fifteen planes, at least five are operational at any given time. The others seem to be either in a semi-operational status or stored while awaiting overhaul.

Although
reports about the number of MiG-29s North Korea acquired range
anything from thirty to forty-five, only a total of seventeen MiG-29s
were acquired since 1988.The first deal was struck with the
Soviet Union in 1987 and comprised thirteen MiG-29 9.12B Fulcrum-As and one MiG-29UB 9.51 Fulcrum-B. Delivery of the MiG-29s started in 1988, lasting until 1992 with the arrival of the last MiG-29.

The second deal comprised the delivery ofMiG-29S-13
9.13 Fulcrum-Cs insemi knock-down kits (SKDs). Reportedly, the intention was to
build ten fighters which were to be put together at the Seventh Machine
Industry Bureau in Panghyon.[1] This facility was set up in an effort to create a local aircraft industry and to ease the flow of MiG spare parts, which are also manufactured here.

Progress on the MiG-29S-13s was slow and the
plan proved too ambitious for North Korea. The process was further complicated by the
unwillingness of the Russians to get paid in goods, rather than in hard
currency. That's why, in 1992, Russia stopped with transferring
MiG-29S-13 components.[2] After completing around three MiG-29s, it was decided to abandon the program in 1993. The plans for a forty aircraft strong MiG-29 fleet had to be given up.

The three MiG-29S-13 9.13s received a serial connected to a special event in North Korean history like the MiG-29S-13 9.13 below, serialed 415, a reference to Kim Il-sung's birthday; The 15th of April 1912. Another MiG-29S-13 9.13 was serialed 820, which referred to the birth of the KPAF; The 20th of August 1948. These two MiGs made a flypast honouring Kim Il-Sung on his birthday in 1993.

Out of theseventeenMiG-29s acquired and assembled, at least one MiG-29 crashed. Another MiG-29 appears to be on display at the Korean People's ArmyExhibition of Arms and Equipment. The KPAF also transferred one N019ME radar from an unfinished MiG-29S-13 to an An-24 in a bid to create a rudimentary AEW capability.[3]

The remaining unassembled MiG-29s in the form of SKDs have likely been cannibalised for spare parts in order to maintain the rest of the fleet. After the fall of the Soviet Union and Boris Yeltsin's state visit to the Republic of Korea, further delivery of aircraft and spare parts came to a stop (barring deliveries under existing contracts) and the DPRK was forced to turn to other sources. While most of its attempts appear to have been fruitless, at least one deal for spare parts was reached in 1999 with Russia. Subsequent requests during the early 2000s have led to a somewhat more open stance on Russia's side, which combined with spare parts from other sources have led to the KPAF being capable of maintaining its MiG-29 fleet relatively well.

Kim Jong-un taking a look at the MiG-29 simulator at Sunch'ŏn.

MiG-29s, Su-25s and J-5s stored at Sunch'ŏn.
Note the white cloths are hiding the true colours of the plane.
This is done to protect the planes from weather elements.

Apart from the MiG-29s, Su-25s and the seemingly inactive MiG-21s, Sunch'ŏn is also home to a few J-5s. One may wonder what such dated aircraft are doing next to the KPAF's most valuable air assets. It appears J-5s are merely being used to keep the MiG-29 pilots current on jet aircraft. Apart from the obvious cost saving reason, it also relieves the MiG-29s of this task and spares the precious airframes.
﻿

First plaquette: Kim Il-sung inspected this plane on the 17th of
August 1988. Second plaquette: Kim Jong-Il also inspected this plane on
the 17th of August 1988 and on the 27th of December 2008.
Note: This is
the same plane as seen on the front cover. (Serial: 553)

At least two MiG-29s are constantly kept on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA). Opposed to other air forces, QRA duties will always be performed by four aircraft from two different units, minimizing the chance of defections.

Although not permanent, other bases like Onchon and Kwail have also seen MiG-29 detachments.

It is known KPAF MiG-29s have been involved in multiple incidents during a thaw in relations in Februari and March 2003. On the 20th of February a single MiG-19 reportedly crossed the Northern Limit Line for unknown reasons, withdrawing again after two ROKAF F-5Es were deployed to the area. This event triggered what seems to have been a planned provocation in the form of an interception of a USAF RC-135S and a JMSDF EP-3, both on the 2nd of March 2003. In the case of the USAF RC-135S, two MiG-29s with the characteristic "hunchback" and two MiG-23MLs were deployed, providing us with the first footage of KPAF Fulcrum-Cs.

One of the two MiG-29S-13s photographed by the RC-135S. Note the loadout of four R-60MKs and three droptanks.

Similarly, the JMSDF EP-3 was approached by at least two MiG-29s, briefly locking their radars
onto the reconnaissance aircraft.

The KPAF acquired fairly standard air-to-air armament for the
MiG-29s, namely, R-27R semi-active radar homing and R-60MK IR-homing missiles. Although R-73s and R-77s are
often seen used on MiG-29s, North Korea likely received neither. For ground
attack duties, they can also be armed with dumb bombs and B-8 rocket
pods. KPAF MiG-29 pilots are solely trained for air-to-air combat and will be generally unable to perform ground attack duties. Unsurprisingly, footage of North Korean MiG-29s armed with air-to-ground weaponry is extremely rare.

Seven MiG-29s visible at Sunch'ŏn
The two MiG-29s in front of the HAS are on QRA duty.

Although
the KPAF's MiG-29S-13 9.13 Fulcrum-Cs are of export standard, and
thus significantly downgraded, they did come with the Gardeniya
jammer. It is known that the KPAF tested this system on multiple
occasions. The MiG-29S-13 9.13 Fulcrum-Cs do lack the 'Parol' identification, friend or foe (IFF) system, which were not installed for planes destined for non-Warsaw Pact members.

KPAF pilots running towards their aircraft. This MiG-29 is armed with
the standard loadout of one R-27R
and two R-60MKs on each side.

The MiG-29s are seen in most of the joint Korean People's Air Force and
Korean People's Army exercises. The value of such exercises for the
MiG-29s can be disputed, as the MiG-29s are usually just performing aerobatic
maneuvers in an effort to impress Kim Jong-un and the Korean People's
Army leadership.

Tuesday, 18 February 2014

Several new developments in North Korean armaments can be witnessed
amongst the recent flow of propaganda released by Pyongyang after Kim
Jong-un’s ascension to power. One such development is what appears to
be a new magazine model for the North Korean copy of the AK-74, the Type
88. This new magazine uses a staggered helix design, which allows for a
high number of 5.45 x 39 mm cartridges to be carried without the
notable increases in size and unwieldiness that characterise many other
high capacity magazines. So far the only users of this helical
magazine appear to be Kim Jong Un’s (and formerly Kim Jong Il’s)
personal bodyguards. While in the picture above each bodyguard appears
to be carrying only one magazine (which, given their high capacity,
isn’t that surprising), other, earlier, footage shows a loadout of two
spare magazines for each bodyguard, as seen below. The magazines appear
to have been in service since 2010, and possibly earlier.

The North Korean Type 88 is usually seen issued with standard 30 round magazines and, aside from the standard wooden or synthetic fixed stock, a side-folding or top-folding stock (pictured). Two notable distinctions differentiate the North Korean helical design from other helical magazines that have been developed. First, and perhaps most obviously, this magazines was developed for a larger, more powerful rifle calibre than existing designs. Existing helical magazines have typically been developed for pistol calibre weapons, with designs having been produced in calibres such as 7.62 x 25, 9 x 17SR (.380 ACP), 9 x 18, and 9 x 19 mm. Secondly, whereas other helical magazines have typically been developed in conjunction with the firearms intended to make use of them, the recent North Korean example was instead produced for use with an existing weapon, appearing to make use of the bayonet lug for mounting. The top-folding stock, another North Korean innovation, allows the stock to be folded with the magazine inserted, which would not be possible with typical side-folding or under-folding AK stocks. Whilst there are persistent rumours of both Russian and Chinese developments of helical magazines for AK pattern weapons, no documentary evidence has emerged to date.

The nature of the post-production design and the inherent complexity of helical magazines (when compared to standard removable box magazines) suggest that while these magazines offer a greatly increased cartridge capacity, they may render the weapon more prone to malfunctions and misfires. It is unknown if similar magazines have been developed for other calibres, or to what extent the helical magazine has been integrated into the Korean People’s Army.

Magazine specifications:

The following specifications are estimated based upon measurements extrapolated from known dimensions, as well as a comparison with existing helical magazines. They represent the author’s ‘best guess’ at present.